° 1911 J Saunders, Birds of Gallatin Co., Mont. 35 



46. Numenius americanus. Long-billed Curlew. — Summer resi- 

 dent. Breeds abundantly in the Three Forks Valley but occurs rarely and 

 only in migrations in the Gallatin Valley. 



47. Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. — Common summer resident 

 in the valleys. Prefers cultivated lands about plowed fields and irrigating 

 ditches. 



48. Podasocys montanus. Mountain Plover. — Mr. Thomas noted 

 this species at Three Forks in June, 1909 when it was evidently breeding. 



*49. Dendragapus obscurus obscurus. Dusky Grouse. 



*50. Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni. Richardson's Grouse. 

 — Gallatin County lies where the range of these two forms meet. Most 

 of the birds are intergrades and not typical of either form. I believe that 

 the larger part of the Gallatin County birds are nearer obscurus than 

 richardsoni, while further north and west in Montana the reverse is true. 



*51. Bonasa umbellus togata. Canada Ruffed Grouse. — Per- 

 manent resident. Abundant in the foothills and in willow and spruce 

 swamps high into the mountains. 



*52. Pedicecetes phasianellus campestris. Prairie Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. — Resident in the valleys. Richmond and Knowlton found it 

 very common. It is seldom seen now in the Gallatin Valley but occurs 

 in fair numbers in the Three Forks and East Flathead Valleys. A speci- 

 men taken near Sedan was considered nearer to this form than to colum- 

 bianus by Dr. Bishop. 



53. Centrocercus urophasianus. Sage Grouse. — Richmond and 

 Knowlton found this species common in the valleys. To-day it occurs, 

 to my knowledge, only in the East Flathead Valley. 



54. Zenaidura macroura carolinensis. Mourning Dove. — Abun- 

 dant summer resident in the valleys. This bird appears about May 10 

 and leaves in September. It nests commonly in willow thickets and on 

 the ground in sagebrush land. 



55. Cathartes aura septentrionalis. Turkey Vulture. — Rare 

 summer resident. Seen a few times from April to September. Rich- 

 mond and Knowlton found it common but it does not appear to be so now. 



56. Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. — Abundant summer resi- 

 dent in the valleys. The males arrive in the latter part of March and the 

 females a week or two later. They usually breed in willow thickets. In 

 August and September they are very abundant in the Gallatin Valley and 

 leave early in October. I believe this species will be found to be of con- 

 siderable value to the farmers of the Gallatin Valley because of its destruc- 

 tion of gophers and other small rodents. 



57. Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. — Summer resident in 

 the mountains but much more abundant in the valleys and foothills during 

 migrations. I noted them commonly from Sept. 15 to Oct. 6, 1908, and 

 from May 13-29, 1909. 



58. Accipiter cooperi. Cooper's Hawk. — Summer resident in 

 the mountains. I noted this species but twice in the West Gallatin Canon 

 in July. 



